Swiss Miss: Mercedes College graduate to spend year in Switzerland on Rotary Youth Exchange program

SEVENTEEN-year-old Caitlin Symons will next week embark on a year exchange to Switzerland as part of the Mill Point Rotary Club’s Rotary Youth Exchange program.

Since 1996, about 30 students from Australia, Europe, South America, Asia and North America have been sponsored by Mill Point Rotary to participate in the program which give students aged 15 to 18 the opportunity to live and study at secondary school in another country.

Caitlin applied to the exchange program before graduating Year 12 at Mercedes College with hopes of gaining more life experience.

“My cousin did a Rotary exchange a few years ago in Brazil and she loved it, so I decide to apply to do it as well,” she said.

“I can’t wait to be able to learn another language fluently and get to know another culture a bit more.

“Plus I hope that the exchange will give me more independence and increase my confidence, especially as I know I have to do a fair amount of public speaking when I arrive.”

Mill Point Rotary spokesman Graham Rennie said Caitlin was selected for the program by the club as it believed that she would be an excellent ambassador not only for its members but for Australia.

After she returns from Basel, Switzerland, Caitlin hopes to pursue a degree in Biomedical Science at UWA.